Monday, October 8, 2012

Sri Lanka is the world famous bird living place which had recorded 427
species, 250 species are resident and 26 species are endemic to the island.
Most of endemic birds are living in the wet zone at sinharaja forest which is
published as world heritage. List of the endemic birds is given bellow.

Friday, October 5, 2012

Sri Lanka is a Buddhist country. Majority of peoples in Sri
Lanka are Buddhists. Current flag of the Buddhism created in 1885 CE. Buddhism
was collapsed in 18th century due to various impacts of the British missionaries.
Therefore Sinhala leaders built a society for
protect Buddhism and provides leadership for battle to gain independence. This
society appointed a committee for creates a flag for Buddhism; in that time as
a religion Buddhism had not flag. Committee members was,

Ven. Migettuwaththe Gunananda thero

Hikkaduwe Sri Sumangala thero

Don Karolis hewavitharana

P.D. Damma Gunawardene

Charls de Silva

Peetar Abru

N.S. Fanando

Karolis pujitha Gunawardene

Structure of the flag was designed by Karolis Pojitha
Jayawardena and it was accepted by the committee. This was flag was design according
to colors circle of rays of Buddha. Flag had five colors. Those are Blue, yellow,
red, white and orange. Flag was published in newspaper named “Sarasavi Sandha
Rasa” in order to exhibit to public. First Buddhist flag was used in 17th
April, 1885 Vesak Poya day. And it was hoisted by Ven. Migettuwaththe
Gunananda. In the 1950 this flag also
use as flag for the Buddhism after approved by the World Buddhist Associations
Meeting conduced in Colombo.

Thursday, October 4, 2012

Various nations are living in world and they speak various languages
and they believe various religions. Also their lifestyles, clothes, customs,
foods vary from one nation to one, but all countries use national symbols to shown
their national and cultural uniqueness. As well as several national symbols can
be identified in Sri Lanka

National flag

National Song

National logo

National bird

National Flower

National Cloth

National Sport

National tree

Some countries use these all symbols and most of countries
use only several symbols. But Sri Lanka use those all symbols.

National flag of the Sri Lanka

National flag is common this in every country. Usage of the
flag has lot of history. According to historical fact, first map in the world created
in chain year before1122 CE. First evident
for using flag in Sri Lanka is one of the drawing about arrival of the Vijaya
to Sri Lanka in the Sanchi Sthupa india. Current flad of the Sri Lanka created base
on the flag of the final king, Sri Wickrama Rajasinghe. Background
of this flag was red color and it consists with yellow color border. This flag acquired
by British and it was deposited in the write hall church. In the 1908 that flag
was found in the England. Sri Lanka acquired independence in 04th February
1948. After that first prime Minister Mr. DS Senanayeke appointed a committee
in order to design flog for Sri Lanka. Committee members was,

S.W.R.D Bandaranayake (presendent of the Committee)

Prof. Senarath Paranavithana (Secretory of the committee)

Mr. T.B.Jaya

Mr. G.G. Ponnambalam

Mr. J.R.Jayewardene

Mr. Lalith Rajapaksha

Mr. Jorn Kothalawala

Flag was rebuilt by Mr. J.A.D. Perera and S.J. Charlis according
to the guidelines of the committee.

Elements of National flag Sri Lanka

Background of the flag is red color and consists with a lion
with a sword and there are four Boo leafs corner on the flog. Left site on the
lion there are have two lines with orange and green colors. Orange colored line
represents Tamil peoples and green colored line represents the Muslim peoples. Lion
who with a sword represents arrogant of the nation and four leafs symbolize the
righteous of peoples. Committee decided some standards for National flag, length
of the flag should be two times of width of the flag. They also decided the size of the symbols in
the flag.

Sigiriya is a one of the famous
and most attractive place in Sri Lanka. Sigiriya means lion’s rock. Hight of
the rock is around 200 meters. According
to the history of Sri Lanka this rock used as a kingdom in Sri Lanka by king
Kashyapa in 5th century. This
rock is one of the UNESCO heritages in Sri Lanka. Sigiriya consists with all
features in the kingdom such as flower gardens, lakes, caves etc. According to
the Mahawansha (main Chronicle of Sri Lanka) king kashyapa built his kingdom in
Sigiriya to protect from his brother king Mihidu. But legends says that king Kashyapa subsided during the war between his brother.
Sigiriya provides evident for the great technologies in ancient Sri Lanka. Several ponds are located in the top of the
Sigiriya. Water for this water gardens come from the underground pipes system. This
system is also active in rain season.

Drawings of Maidens

Most of the people climb Sigiriya
in order to watch these drawings. Those are very beautiful. Most of the peoples
believes those drawings shows the ladies who was gone for warship the Buddha. But
some peoples give various interpretations for these paintings. They says those
paintings describes Angeles. According to the legends and references there was
500 paintings in Sigiriya, but today 22 drawings only exists.

The mirror wall

The mirror wall is a face of the
rock polished as the mirror. This is another example for great technique in
ancient Sri Lanka. In this wall peoples who visit Sigiriya wrote thousands of
poems to describe their experience. Those are describing the beauty of the drawings.
These poems wrote in ancient language in Sri Lanka.

Wednesday, October 3, 2012

Economic policies which followed in
the Sri Lanka in between 1970 -1977 and after the 1977 years are totally different.
Before 1977, Economic of Sri Lanka followed internal oriented economic
policies, such as limitation of exports and imports, limitation of the foreign exchange
currency. In these time most of the Economic policies of Sri Lanka tried to
build a national economic without any interfere of other countries. Follow
mentioned some characteristics of the economy in that time.

Restricted for the import, in order
to achieve these policy makers conducted huge amount of custom duties.

Economic polies built policies
buildup for develop import substitution industries inside the Sri Lanka.
Government gave assistance for these industries.

Strong rules for foreign currency
control are conducted by policy makers. Government
conducted foreign currency exchange rates. Government did not allow deciding it
by market operations. Therefore in this period Sri Lanka has an over valuated
exchange rate.

Capital account and current account
were closeted. Thereby peoples couldn’t exchange rupees in to foreign currencies
even for use transactions of current account.

Government controlled prices of the
economy. Therefore open market mechanism was interrupted. Involvement of
government for the market was high and main industries conducted by government.

In the 1977, government changed and
new president Mr. J.R. Jayawardene decided to change economic policies. He opened
the market for private section. Foreign policies were totally changed. Government
followed liberal policies Instead of the government involvement for all element
of the economy. Government allowed and promoted investment in private section. After
the 1977, policy makers follow more external oriented policies. Some characterizes
of the Economic in these years, shown below.

Liberalization of
the economy

Decrease rules related
import and exports

Cancel the Multiple
exchange rates and official exchange rates. Then, established the floating
exchange rates decided according to demand and supply in exchange currency
market.

Foreign
investments were increased in Sri Lankan Economy.

Prices of the
internal market mainly decided by market demand and supply, but prices of some
goods and services still control by government authorities. (Bus fees, petroleum
etc.)

Monday, October 1, 2012

According to the legends, Buddha three times visits to Sri
Lanka. 1st time was nine months after Buddha’s enlightenment. Arrived
place called Mahiyanganaya. On those times, Society of Sri Lanka is not formed
one and inhabits indigenous peoples called Yaksha, Naga, and Deva. In a first
visit Buddha could move them to Buddhism after the showing his psychic power.
This was the first incident about Buddhism in the Sri Lanka.

After the five years later, Buddha came again to Sri Lanka,
place called Nagadipaya one of the islands located in north province. Objective
was this travel was pacifying the war between two Kings of Nagas called Chulodara
and Mahodara. Argument over a jeweled throne conduced to this war. After the
arriving of Buddha, he explained disadvantages of quarrelling. Troop accepts
teaching of Buddha and war was ended. Two kings gave up throne and consecrated
it for Buddha as a gratitude for evolves to solve this problem. According to the legends, the pagoda was
built by God Suman saman and enshrined throne inside the core of the pagoda. 3rd
Naga king, Maniakkitha invited to Buddha for visit again to island.

According to this invitation, Buddha came to Sri Lanka again.
Maniakkitha king rule his power in Kalaniya area. So Buddha arrived to
Kalaniya, as his third and final travel to Sri Lanka in his lifetime. This
travel is more important to Sri lanka. Because Buddha left his foot print at
the top of the mountain called Samanala kanda (famous as Sri Pada).

After the arriving of Buddha, there are no significant
incidents until Prince Vijaya came to Sri Lanka. Vijaya was a prince of south
India and he came to Sri Lanka due to disagreement between his and his father. He
married with an indigenous princess named Kuveni in order to claim to
royalty. He got two child named
Jeevahaththa and Disala. According to the legends aborigines of Sri Lanka descend
from them. But after the several years later, King Vijaya removed hisdomestic princess and he married with
a princess of South India. Arriving of the VIjaya and others didn’t important
to Buddhism but it important to the Colonization of the Sri Lankan society.

When the 250 BCE Sri
Lanka has not any religions. Some peoples believes Even through Buddha came three times Sri
Lanka, Buddhism didn’t spread among peoples in Sri Lanka until 250 BCE. In
these times Buddhism in the India also has been destroyed by vinous corrupt
monks. So king Ashoka decided to conduct a Buddhist council in order to protect
flawless Buddhism. As a result of this nine groups dispatched around the world
in order to promote the Buddhism. Eventually, one group who was lead Mihindu
Thero came to Sri Lanka with Theravada Buddhism. They came to Mihinthalaya Mountain on the
Posan full moon poya day (July). According
to the legends in that time king Tissa (king of the Sri Lanka) came to Mihinthalaya
Mountain for hunting. Mihindu Thero and king meet together at the foot of the
mountain. After that Mihindu thero discoursed the teaching of Buddhism. After
king Tissa became a Buddhist. He gives huge contribute to spread the Buddhism
around the whole country. Peoples also had find salvation the Buddhism. Some
peoples became renounced and became monks, even some ministers of the king
became as monks. In that times ordain
only males. Because ordain for women didn’t start yet. If ordain women, inevitable
the service of Woman monks (Bhikkuni). Lot of women required to join to Buddha
Sasana( to become a female monk). Queen Anula who was the Queen of Kind Tissa)
leaded to this request. In Order to establish
the Bikkuni Sasanaya (female monks) Sangamiththa Theraniya came to the Sri
Lanka with the branch of the Jaya Sri Maha Bodhi and it planted in Anuradapura.
These scared boo tree also can be seen in today in Anuradapura.

Sri Pada is a mountain located in
southern part of the hill county of Sri Lanka, 122 kilometers away from Colombo
and height of 2243 meters above sea level. Mountain comprises to two district, Ratnapura
and Nuwara Eliya. There are no other mountains nearby. Area of this mountain
nominated as wildlife reserves. Environment of the mountain is cool and rainy.
Four main rivers starts in this mountain.
Those are Mahaveli river (longest river), Kalu ganga river, Walave river,
Kalani river. This place famous among Buddhist around the word and other religious
groups also visit and worship this place.

This place has long history.
Buddhists believe that, on the third visit of Buddha to Sri Lanka, Buddha left
his footprint on the rock at the top of the mountain. So this place became a
place of worship among Buddhists. But after
the hundred years ago other religious groups believes according to their own
belief, so they thought that footprint left by their prophet. Hindu peoples believe that footprint as the
footprint of Sriva god, and Muslim peoples believe that it as footprint of Adams.

Every Buddhists of Sri Lanka
tries to worship the sacred Footprint of the Buddha at least one time in his/her
life time. The climbing season (worshiping season) is December to May. Other months
are not suitable, because many number wild animals walk in free in those times.
So Climbing in out of season may be dangerous. Climbing
is really tired, but peoples do it in devout mind. Several customs can be seen among
devotees. First one is They song special kind of poems called “ thunsarane” wrote
about characterizes of Buddha. Those poems are comes with traditionally. If
someone worships in the first times, he/she have to fulfill several requirements.

There are three roads to climb
the mountain. First one is across the Ratnapura. This road is a long root
compared with other road. If, someone climb in this road he/she has to walk
more than 12 miles. It is possible to
travel via vehicle up to Siripagama village and onwards travelling only by
walk. Second root for climbing Sri Pada is kuruvita road. This road also long
as ratnapura road. Climbing is start from Erathna Vilage. This road meets
ratnapura road in a place called Haramitipana. Third root is via Haton town and
it is the most famous and easier road to climb and worship the Shi Pada. Most of
the area on the road is covered by steps.

Most peoples like to climb
mountain in night even colder environment in order to watch the sun rise on the
tomorrow morning. This occasion is very attractive and lot of peoples waits to
watch it. Peoples believe that god called “Sumana
Saman” is tutelary to this mountain. So peoples who climb and worship this
place anticipate the protection of this god.